Cloth-cutting machine



(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Cr. CASTLE. CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 4, 1898.

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(No Model. G CASTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE. No. 596,738. Patented Jan. 4, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOSWIN CASTLE, OF ROME, NEW YORK.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,738, dated January4, 1898.

Application filed May 2, 1893 Serial No. 472,701. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GOSWIN CASTLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rome, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cloth, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for cutting cloth and similarmaterial, and has the object to producea machine for this purpose bywhich numerous superposed {layers 'of ploth can be expeditiously cutinto the desired orm.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is afragmentary sectional elevation of my improved cutting-machine, thesection being taken in line 1 1,

Fig. 3 Fig. 2 is a horizontal section in line 2 2, F g. 1. F g. 3 1s across-section in line 3 3, Flg. 1. Flg. at is a cross-section, on anenlarged scale, in line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing theendless knife in front elevation. y

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a table which is supported on the main frame of the machinein any suitable manner and upon which the pile of cloth, fabric, orother goods to be cut is placed.

B represents an endless knife or toothless cutter, consisting of a thinsteel band, having its front edge beveled or sharpened to a cuttingedge. This endless knife passes with its operative portion downwardlythrough an opening I) in the table and with its upper and lower portionsaround pulleys in the same manner as a band-saw, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The opening b extends on the inner or flat side of the knife unbrokenfrom the upper to the lowersurface of the table, but opens on the outeror beveled side of the knife into a recess 0, formed in the upperportion of the table and extending outwardly and rearwardly from thebeveled side of the knife, so that the knife is confined between the twoedges of the opening I) to a much less height on its outer or beveledside than it is on its inner or straight side. This permits the portionof the cloth which passes on the outer side of the knife to releaseitself from the knife and prevents the cloth from hugging the outer sideof the knife, whereby considerable fric= tion would be created andparticles of thread or shreds of the cloth would be carried down intothe opening,which would become clogged thereby.

The endless knife travels constantly in one direction and upon movingthe pile of cloth or other material against its cutting edge thematerial is cut into the desired form without fraying the edges of thesuperposed layers of fabric. The endless knife can be easily sharpenedwhen dulled and is cheaply renewed when worn out.

When the endless knife is used for cutting piled cloth into diskssuch,for instance, as cheese-caps-a revoluble clamping or supporting deviceis employed, which is constructed as follows:

D represents a supporting disk or plate which is arranged with itsperiphery adjacent to the endless knife and with its upper surface flushwith or slightly above the table. The supporting-disk is pivotallysupported at its center, so that all parts of its periphery can bebrought adjacent to the knife by turning the disk. This pivotal supportis composed of a pivot-plate 11, secured to the under side of the diskand resting on a similar plate Z, the lower plate (1 being provided witha central hub which enters a corresponding cavity in the upper plate d.The lower plate rests upon a slotted bar E, arranged underneath thetable and extending laterally from near the inner side of theband-knife. The lower pivot-plate d is adjustably secured to this bar bya vertical bolt 6, passing through the lower plate and a longitudinalslot 6', formed in the bar, so that the pivotal point can be adjustedtoward and from the knife for cutting the material into disks ofdifierent di ameters.

F represents a rectangular frame having a circular opening by which itincloses the supporting-disk and which fits into acorrespondingly-shaped seat formed in the top of the table.

The slotted bar E is secured to a frame E, which is secured to the underside of the table and bridges the opening in which the supporting-diskand its inclosing frame are arranged. This supporting frame alsosupports the frame inclosing the disk. This inclosing frame is removableand is replaced by another frame of the same outline, but having alarger or smaller opening when a larger or smaller disk is substituted.

G represents a pressure disk or plate which presses against the top ofthe pile of cloth on the supporting-disk and which is arranged axiallyabove the supporting-disk.

g represents a vertically-movable centering-pin which rests with itslower conical end in a socket plate g, secured centrally to the upperside of the pressure-disk. This centering-pin is guided in the front endof a bracket H, which is adj ustably secured at its rear end to an arm hof the main frame by a bolt h, passing through a horizontal slot 77 insaid arm.

I represents a hand-lever which is pivoted with its rear end to asegment 2', secured to the bracket. at its upper end with the hand-leverby links z", so that the hand-lever and centering-pin move verticallytogether. The weight of the hand-lever and connecting parts hold thepressure-disk down upon the pile of cloth, but an additional pressure ispreferably applied by a weight J, which is secured to the hand-lever.

K represents a sliding spring-bolt which is adapted to engage with anotch in the seg ment and hold the hand-lever in an elevated position.

In operating the machine when cutting cheese-cloth caps the bolt ofcloth, consisting of a number of layers, is placed on thesupporting-disk, the pressure-disk is placed upon the cloth, and thecentering-pin is lowered upon the pressure-disk. Upon turning the disksand the cloth by hand the cloth is moved against the edge of the endlessknife and out. By turning the cloth a complete revolution a pile ofdisks is cut from the pile of cloth. Upon raising the centering-pin andremoving the pressure-disk the cloth can be shifted for cutting a pileof circular cloth disks from another portion of the cloth-bolt.

For the purpose of cutting cloth disks of different diameters the pivotsof the upper and lower plates are moved toward or from the cutter untilthe desired radius of the cloth disks is obtained between the pivots oftheplates and the cutter. It is desirable to extend the rotary supportof the cloth closely to the cutter, and in order to enable this to bedone when cutting cloth disks of different diameter a number ofsupporting-plates of different diameters is kept on hand, the platehaving a size suited to the desired diameter of the cloth disks beingplaced on the lower plate-pivot. In order to properly fill the spacebetween the periphery of the lower supporting-plate and the table whenchanging from one size of plate to another, a number of filling-frames Fare kept on hand, each of which fits with its outer edge into theopening of the table and is provided with a cir- The centering-pin isconnected cular opening of the proper size and location to receive oneof the lower. supporting-plates.

When it is desired to cut cloth disks of a radius smaller than thedistance between the cutter and the pivots of the supporting-plates inFig. 1, a smaller lower supporting-disk is employed,as shown,forinstance,by the dotted line D, Fig. 2, and when it is desired to cutcloth disks of a larger radius a larger lower supporting-plate isemployed, as shown, for instance, by the dotted line D Fig. 2. The upperplate G may be interchanged in the same Way; but for small differencesin the size of disks this is not necessary, as a small plate may beemployed which will hold the cloth sufficiently firm on the lower plate,the cloth in being cut finding its support on the lower plate and on thefilling-frame F and table surrounding the lower plate.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an endless bandknifeprovided with a bevel on one of its faces at the cutting edge, of atable adapted to support the material to be cut and provided with anopening through which the knife moves and with a depression in its uppersurface on that side of the opening which is adjacent to the bevel ofthe knife, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cutting-machine, the combination with a supporting-table, of alower rotary clamping-plate arranged within said table and surrounded bythe same, an upper rotary clamping-plate unconnected with said lowerplate, and a vertically-movable cutter arranged on one side of saidclamping-plates, whereby the material to be cut is clamped between saidplates and supported outside of the same on said table and is carriedpast the cutter by the rotary movement of said plates, substantially asset forth.

3. In a machine for cutting cloth, the combination with a cutter, of apivotal support for a lower rotary clamping-plate arranged on one sideof the cutter and made adjustable toward and from the cutter,interchangeable lower clamping-plates adapted to be placed on saidsupport, an upper clamping device and a table in which the lowerclamping-plates are arranged and which is adapted to support the clothoutside of the lower clamping-plate and adjacent to the cutter,substantially as set forth.

4. Ina machine for cutting cloth, the combination with a cutter, of atable adapted to support the cloth adjacent to the cutter, a slotted barsecured within the table and extending away from the cutter, a pivotalsupport adjustably attached to said bar, a lower clamping-plate providedon its under side with a pivot-plate which rests loosely on said pivotalsupport, and an upper clamping device, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for cutting cloth, the combination with a cutter, of alower rotary clamping-plate arranged on one side of the cutter, apivotal support for said plate made adjustable toward and from thecutter, a preswhich its support can be adjusted toward and sure -platearranged above said clampingfrom the cutter, substantially as set forth.:0 plate and provided with a centering-pin, a Witness my hand this 28thday of April,

GOSWIN CASTLE. Witnesses:

R. W. JAooBs, K. S. PUTNAM.

guide-bracket in which said pin is mounted 1893. and which is adjustabletoward and from the cutter, a lever pivoted to said bracket andconnected with said pin, and a table in which said lower clamping-plateis arranged and in

